Bikram barges into lead

Bikram started shakily with consecutive bogeys on the first, second and third holes but fired a birdie on the sixth. He topped it with two birdies on the return journey on the 14th and 16th holes to finish with a total of 148.

Chandigarh lad Dayal Singh stormed to the front with the day’s best round of 72 which put him on the third spot after a dismal 81 on the first day. Dayal fired four birdies (fourth, eighth, 11th and 14th holes) and as on par eight times.

Local boy Rohit Goyal had to be content at the fourth spot with a round of 78 to end on a total of 155. Yesterday’s second runner-up Saahir Singh failed to match his first day’s round of 77 to card 81 today. At fifth position with 156 was Bikram D Singh and Suleman Ali also from Delhi. It was a major improvement by Suleman Ali, son of a caddie who is being sponsored by Indian cricket all-rounder Kapil Dev. Suleman failed to justify his handicap of -1, the best in the tournament alongwith Usman Ali also of Delhi, with a poor 81 on the first day.

But came up with a respectable 75 today to be among the top six. His round could have been the day’s best had he not triple bogeyed the 17th hole on his way back.

In the under-14 category, Ashok Kumar of Delhi today improved on his performance of 77, yesterday. He fired two birdies on the first and 12th holes to finish his day with a card of 75.

Jagbir Singh Gill (Delhi) trails Ashok Kumar by seven strokes at the second spot followed by Shaikh Mainu of Delhi on 166.

The top of the rung in the under-12 division did not see any changes with Ranjit Singh of Calcutta running into the lead. While Delhi youngsters ruled the roost in higher age-groups, Ranjit took an unassailable lead over his closest opponents with a round of 75, a major improvement over his first day’s card to finish with a total of 158. First day’s runner-up Karan Talwar of Delhi who trailed Ranjit by two-strokes yesterday, slipped further to card an 86. A 13-stroke valley now separates him from the leader.

Ten-year-old Aditya Singh of Delhi kept his third position intact with a total of 177 with a round of 89.

Leading scorers: U-17: 148: Bikram Singh (Del; 74+74); 149: Shiv Kapoor (Del; 73+76); 153: Dayal Singh (Chd, 81+72); 155: Rohit Goyal (Mum, 77+78); 156: Bikram D Singh (Del; 79+77); Suleman Ali (Del) 81+75.

U-14: 153: Ashok Kumar (Del; 78+75); 160: Jagbir Singh Gill (Jullunder; 83+77); 166: Shikh Mainu (Del; 82+84). U-12: 158: Ranjit Singh (Cal; 83+75); 171: Karan Talwar (Del; 85+86); 177: Aditya Singh (Del; 88+89).